Check back later today to watch the entire town hall on-demand.
Veterans Day is a time to remember the selfless sacrifice and dedication of those who have literally put their lives on the line to protect our country and our freedom. Veterans face many challenges during and after their service, from psychological issues to the practical struggles of finding employment and getting quality healthcare. Chicago is dedicated to its veterans in myriad ways, and there are incredible organizations working for our veterans to provide much-needed services and support.
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Host Stacey Baca has a keen understanding of the veteran community as the wife of someone who has served. Stacey introduced Chicago area veterans' organizations and their leaders, some of whom are veterans themselves, who provided keen insights into what our vets may be experiencing. They will discuss the crucial need for services and support and the programs focused on helping vets overcome obstacles to receiving the benefits and services they have earned.
Guest panelists for this week's town hall included the following:
- Laura Franz, Veterans Path to Hope (formerly TLS Veterans)
- Crystal Odom-McKinney, Easterseals
- Rochelle Crump, National Women Veterans United
- Karen Hernandez, Chicago Veterans
The virtual town hall was also exclusively streamed live on ABC 7's Facebook Live, YouTube, ABC 7's app, and ABC 7's connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku.
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About ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago
ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is the No. 1 local news source and most-watched television station in Chicago. With top-rated daily newscasts spanning decades and the largest social media presence in the market with more than 2.3 million Facebook followers, ABC7 Eyewitness News provides breaking news, investigative reporting, weather, politics, traffic and sports in the multiplatform space to Chicago, the suburbs and northwest Indiana. Named Best News Operation by the Associated Press for four consecutive years, the station produces 41 hours of local news weekly and Chicago's only local weekday entertainment talk show, "Windy City LIVE," as well as its highest-rated New Year's Eve special. ABC7's award-winning programs such as "Heart and Soul," "The Ñ Beat" and "Asian Influences" showcase the city's diversity, while being the only Chicago station producing and broadcasting parades representing Chicago's rich cultural history. In addition to producing town halls focused on current social issues, the station has a long and proud tradition of broadcasting political candidate debates keeping Chicago's electorate informed. ABC7's outreach efforts include annual partnerships with the Red Cross for life-saving blood drives and, most recently, spearheading an effort to raise more than $1.5 million for area food pantries.